Worried about my 7 year olds new friends

positivenote

Okay so i might be over exaggerating and worried about nothing, but my 7 year old (in first class) is a great little kid that has always been popular. He's great at reading/maths/irish etc... since sept he has become very cheeky and is constantly getting into trouble at home. This has coincided with him changing his lads in class that he tends to hang around with. he's very impressionable. Up until this year he has been very close with 4 or 5 kids and they were part of a cute little gang, but he has recently told me that he plays in the yard with two or three kids that were always boisterous and rough, one of them used to be a bit of a bully to him. He has also been sitting beside them in class since a new teacher started with the class in september. I really dont want him playing with these lads in the yard and wished that he would go back to the other group of friends in his class that he's had before 1st class, one of which he has always been best mates with since they were in creche together.
Any advice on this would be great, but unfortunately none of his class mates live close enough by for us to let him play on the green with.
Are we panicking over nothing?
Thanks

Demosthenese

Age 7 they are all very impressionable.
Something similar to my own kid was split from his friends and where he had a group of 5-6 really good kids now it's 2-3 and he needed to find new friends this term which hasn't been ideal as he is quite shy. He has changed somewhat in his attitude and the way he carrys on but its just assimilating the new parts of new friends and new things he's learning.

One one hand gotta let him get on with it and figure it out but reassure him of the need to be on good behaviour - when you say getting into trouble at home - my kid has older siblings and he is well aware of taking an attitude based on them let alone the new friends - so it's not like he is doing it without knowing what he's doing. (Im assuming he's being a bit cheeky here perhaps?) In which case assert your position as the parent and as always, reassure that he understands what you find acceptable behaviour.

We all want them to be stuck in the same little perfect world - but the world has other ideas, or at least the schools do! I wouldn't be panicking about it by any means. If it gets worse, you can have a chat with the teacher to see if his behaviour is not up to scratch, they pick up on it being around them all day.

Unfortunately we cannot choose our kids friends ... but give em a chance and see how it goes.

jimmycrackcorm

positivenote wrote: »

Any advice on this would be great, but unfortunately none of his class mates live close enough by for us to let him play on the green with.
Are we panicking over nothing?

Panicking over nothing. Why wouldn't you let your son play with kids on his own estate on the green?

Also every parent thinks their own kid is an angel and other kids are a bad influence. Especially if it is the first child where you are learning the ropes.

positivenote

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Panicking over nothing. Why wouldn't you let your son play with kids on his own estate on the green?

Because they are all about 3-5 years older than him.

shesty

You could have a chat to the teacher, see how he's going, possibly ask for him to change seats, or see if the teacher has plans to switch the seating at any time.

mordeith

positivenote wrote: »

Because they are all about 3-5 years older than him.

I thought you said he was sitting beside them in class? How can they be 3-5 years older then?

monica555

Many teachers will change seating arrangement after the mid term break. Maybe you could have a quick chat with your son's teacher and tell her about your concerns?
You could still arrange playdates with your son's old friends in your house.

positivenote

mordeith wrote: »

I thought you said he was sitting beside them in class? How can they be 3-5 years older then?

"...none of his class mates live close enough by for us to let him play on the green with"

mordeith

?

positivenote wrote: »

He has also been sitting beside them in class since a new teacher started with the class in september.

Edit: oh right, so you're saying there are no kids his age he can play with where ye are?

Icsics

I would definitely speak to the teacher. Do you know the other parents? Might be an ideation set up some play dates over mud term

selfbuildache

Set up play dates with the kids you WANT your child to hang out with.